Movable guard for dry shavers



Aug. 22, 1939. J. H. RAND, JR

MOVABLE GUARD FOR DRY smwnns Filed July 23, 1957 INVENTOR. Y Y James H. Rand. J51 B fi .fi mszi s Patented Aug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES MOVABLE GUARD FOR DRY SHAVERS James H. Rand, Jr., Stamford, Conn.

Application July 23, 1937, Serial No. l55,198

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in shaving implements of the type, known as dry shavers because they are employed without the use of soap, lather, or other shaving preparations.

An object of this invention is to provide a movable guard for shaving implements of this type.

Other and more detailed objects of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing disclosure when taken in connection with the attached drawing.

This invention resides substantially in thecombination, construction, arrangement and relative location of parts, all in accordance with the following disclosure.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view with some parts in'cross section of a structure in accordance with this invention;

3 Fig. 2 is a front elevatlonal view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the movable guard withdrawn;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 of a modifled arrangement;

; Fig. 5 is a view similar to *Figure further modified arrangement.

In some types of dry shaving implements now produced commercially, the construction of the cooperatingcutting members is such as to desirably, if not necessarily, require a guard member positioned so as to minimize any tendency of the device to cut or injure the skin. It is common practice to position the upper end of this guard substantially in the cutting plane of the cutting members but spaced therefrom in such a way as to provide the desired protection. Such guards are positioned so as to be in advance of the cutting members as they move over the. skin with 1 of a still the result that, in close places, such as-shaving';

for example under the nose, the guard pre iit's bringing the cutting members close enough to the nose to permit shaving up to it. The purpose of this invention is to provide a guard which is movably supported so that it will normally carry out its protecting function, and yet may be readily and simply retracted out of position when shaving in close quarters so that the cutting members are exposed for shaving in the corners such as for example, closely around the nose, under the ears and like places.

The full nature of the invention can best be explained from here on by direct reference to the drawing. 'As illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3,

the complete implement comprises a housing. the

upper end of which is shown. With this mechanism is operated the operating motor and mechanism commonly employed with such devices but not illustrated in the drawing.- Frequently the housing is made as shown in two complementary parts I and 2' of any suitable material. The upper 5 end of the housing is provided with three projections. The central projection 3, running longitudinally across the end of the housing, provides support for the cooperating cutting elements 4 and 5. The lower cutting element 5 is caused to have longitudinal reciprocation with respect to the cutting element 4 by means of the motor not shown in the housing which is connected to it by the operating lever 6'. In the case of the instrument" shown these elements are provided with cutting members along a pair of opposite side edges running parallel to the' projection 3 in accordance with known practice. The portion I of the housing is formed so as to have a projecting wall 1 extending longitudinally of the end thereof andparallel to but spaced from the cutting members on that side. The upper-end of this wall is substantially in the plane of the cutting members so as to form a guard which minimizes the danger of injury without seriously 5 interfering with the cutting action of the device. In prior practice a guard similar to the guard wall I is formed on the portion 2 of the housing to guard the other cutting members on the other side.

However, in accordance with this invention, this guard wall is not formed integral with the housing but is made in the form of a separate plate as shown at 9. The portion 2 of the housing is modified so as to have a groove 8 ex-tending thereacross but terminating short of the side edges as is clear from Figure 2. The movable plate H is shown slidably mounted in a substantially vertical plane in this groove. A fiat leaf spring I4 is secured to the movable plate 9 on 40 its bottom edge by means of a rivet M for example, and is positioned between the plate 9 in the bottom of the groove 8 so as to resist downward movement of the plate. The plate is provided with a pair of slots ll through which extend the screws I! which engage in bushings l3 moulded in the portion 2 of the housing. These screws as is apparent serve to permit guided, substantially vertical movement of the plate 9 in the groove 8 while attaching the plate to the housing. The plate is provided as shown with a thumb piece III. In the normal position of the plate as shown in Figures 1 and 2, its upper edge is substantially in the plane of the cutting members on the adjacent side of the cooperating cutter plates 4 and 5 and, therefore, normally performs its guarding function. as explained above.

However, when it is desired to shave in close spaces as described above, the user retracts the guard from the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 to the position shown in Figure 3 by engaging the thumb piece I0 and sliding the plate or wall 9 down into the groove 8 compressing spring M. The plate is held in this position while the implement is used in close quarters and returns to full guarding position as shown in Figure 1 when released by springs 14.

In the modification of Fig. 4 the structure differs from that previously described in that the spring is now placed in a groove which extends at right angles to the plate 9 and in back of it.

In this groove is placed the spring I5 which may the plate be similar to spring H which causes 9 to frictionally bind in groove 8 and hold it in either raised or lowered position. The plate may be moved to either of these positions by application of pressure on the thumb piece IE! in the right direction.

In the modification shown in Figure 5 the plate 9 is formed so that it may be pivotally mounted on a shaft l6 which is mounted in any suitable manner in the portion 2 of the housing. In this case the housing is provided with a shallow transversely curved shoulder into which the similarly curved tail on the bottom of the plate 9 may be moved. The spring ll encircles the shaft 16 and has one end I8 secured in the housing 2'- and the other end l9 engaging the tail of the plate. As is clear from Fig. 5, this spring normally holds the plate in the full line position. When it is desired to move it to better exposed cutting members, its thumb piece I0 is engaged, and the plate swung down the dotted line position. .When it is released it returns to full guarding position. I

In all forms of device shown, the structure is so arranged that the guard may be manipulated by the thumb of the hand holding the device.

I am of course well aware that those skilled in the art will readily understand other ways in which the principles of this invention may be embodied in other physicalforms.

I do not, therefore, desire to be strictly limited to the disclosure as given for the purpose of illustratinghow to obtain the objects of this invention, but rather to the claim granted me.

What I claim to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

A dry shaver of the type described comprising a. handle, a cutter head mounted on the end of the handle, said handle having a recess in its side wall adjacent said head, a movable guard plate mounted on the handle in said recess, and a spring for holding said plate in and returning it to guarding relationship with respect to the cutter head when released.

JAMES H. RAND, JR. 

